Oliver Hardy
Biography Character: Various Birthday: January 18, 1892 Place of Birth: Harlem, New York Date of Death: August 7, 1957 Place of Death: North Hollywood, California First Short: Thundering Fleas Last Short: Wild Poses Number of Shorts: 5 History: Oliver "Babe" Norvell Hardy was born in Harlem, New York to a family from Georgia. His father was a lawyer and politician who died early, forcing the family to return to Madison, Georgia. His mother purchased and ran a hotel, where Babe watched and observed the people that passed through it, using those memories in his later acts. His voice enabled him to join Coburn's Minstrels, but he became homesick and returned home. Later attending the Atlanta Observatory of Music, he briefly studied law at the University of Georgia. His first job was opening and running a movie house, but watching the films showed him what he wanted to do. He started out working as various "heavies" at Lubin Motion Pictures in Jacksonville, Florida where he acquired the nickname, "Babe." Often loaned to other studios, he became friends with Leo McCary at the Hal Roach Studios. In 1926, they gave him a contract. For Hal Roach, Babe perfected his comedy through numerous shorts and films, gradually becoming familiar with comedian Stan Laurel. He made over 200 films without Stan and more than 100 with him, the two of them building a wide following as one of the most successful comedy teams of all time. Many of their mannerisms and expressions led to the success of the Our Gang films; in fact, the Rascals often slipped over to watch the boys working. Several of the same actors worked in both the highly profitable comedy series. Roach kept the boys under separate contracts to bargain with them separately, but when Roach sold the the studio, the boys lost their creative control. Their later films were not as successful as their early works. They returned to stage work, but Hal Roach Jr., now back in control, called them back. Stan was preparing for their next big feature when Babe was felled by a stroke. Oliver Hardy passed away on August 7, 1957. List of Shorts * Thundering Fleas * Baby Brother * Barnum & Ringling, Inc. * Choo-Choo! - (voice only) * Wild Poses Other Projects * Outwitting Dad (1924) - Film debut * The Lucky Dog (1921) - First encounter with Stan Laurel * 45 Minutes from Hollywood (1926) - With Glenn Tryon (Features the Our Gang kids in a five second clip from the rushes for Thundering Fleas) * Hats Off (1927) * Unaccustomed as We Are (1929) * The Stolen Jools (1931) - with Matthew Beard, Norman Chaney, Dorothy DeBorba, Allen Hoskins, Robert Hutchins, Mary Ann Jackson, Stan Laurel, and Shirley Jean Rickert * Pardon Us (1931) - with June Marlowe * On the Loose (1931) - with Thelma Todd and Zasu Pits * Pack Up Your Troubles (1932) - with Jackie Lyn Dufton * Their First Mistake (1932) * Them Thar Hills (1934) * Babes In Toyland (1934) - with Stan Laurel, Henry Brandon, Scott Beckett, George Billings, Billy Bletcher, Thomas Bupp, Jean Darling, Johnny Downs, Marianne Edwards, Cullen Johnson, Payne Johnson, Richard Jones, Gus Leonard, Sam Lufkin, Jackie Lynn Taylor, and Jerry Tucker * Thicker Than Water (1935) * On the Wrong Trek (1936) - with Charley Chase and Rosina Lawrence * The Bohemian Girl (1936) - with Darla Jean Hood * Way Out West (1937) - with Rosina Lawrence * Pick a Star (1937) - with Rosina Lawrence * Block-Heads (1938) - with Tommy Bond * Zenobia (1939) - with Philip Hurlic, Hattie McDaniel, Stepin' Fetchit, and Harry Langdon * Saps at Sea (1940) - Last film for Hal Roach * Great Guns (1941) * Air Raid Wardens (1943) * The Bullfighters (1945) * The Fighting Kentuckian (1949) - With John Wayne * Atoll K (1951) ---- Category: Our Gang Adults Category: Male Characters Category: Over Five Shorts